Instant Reaction: Canucks somehow keep it close until Bruins’ goalie scores a goal to seal 3-1 win

You’re not misreading the title.

This was an entertaining game that against all odds, the Canucks kept close. No, we’re not kidding! They played the league-leading Boston Bruins and kept it close!

In all seriousness, yes, there was a goalie goal tonight, but more on that later. Welcome to our Instant Reaction to a game that the Vancouver Canucks lost by a final score of 3-1 at home. Let’s dive into it, starting in the crease, and finishing in the other crease.

This was undoubtedly the best game of Arturs Silovs’ young career, as the 21-year-old Latvian netminder has improved with every start he’s made. He’s looking calmer with each game, and is showing a tremendous amount of promise for a goaltender taken in the sixth round.

As for the players in front of him, nobody was expecting the Canucks to win this game, and if we’re being honest, nobody was expecting them to really be in it, either. Brock Boeser scored the Canucks only goal, Elias Pettersson, unsurprisingly, was good again and nearly tied the game up for the Canucks after a nifty give and go with Andrei Kuzmenko, but that was it for the Canucks. And really, that’s fine.

The Boston Bruins are putting together what could end up being the best regular season in NHL history, and simply do not blow leads — especially multi-goal leads. The Bruins have just eight regulation losses and five overtime losses on the season, and it was going to be next to impossible for the Canucks to add to either of those categories.

And the Canucks put together this effort with five defencemen as Ethan Bear left in the first period after playing just 17 seconds before taking a puck off the face and exiting for the night. Despite being weakened on the blue line — even more so than they usually are — the Canucks put together an effort that they can be proud of.

And yes, for all you on team tank they eventually lost in regulation. The Anaheim Ducks beat the Carolina Hurricanes tonight though!

Tonight was a game that made you think “where was this effort in the 58 games before this one?” and maybe even “this Silovs kid has been in the AHL all season long?” No? Anyone else?

The only thing more unlikely than the Canucks keeping this one close for 59 minutes was a goalie goal, so it was only fitting that a goal from Linus Ullmark was the final dagger for the Canucks tonight.

What was your instant reaction to the game? Let us know in the comments section below!

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